Hello I'm Mike Manley, welcome to my studio Blog. I am veteran comic, animation artist and created and edit Draw! Magazine. This blog is a chronicle of what's happening in my studio at home or in school,follow as I show my process and as a cartoonist, painter, teacher and more. I've just graduated with a Masters In Art from he Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. Follow my process and path as an painter, cartoonist and teacher and find out how they inform and enrich each other!

Thursday, May 25, 2006

here are two sketches that were done recently, a marvelous freesketch one of me by Echo. She drew this yesterday while we were havng coffee in Starbucks on our afternoon jaunt to the art supply and comic shop. it was funny to see her draw it directly in marker, jumping around the drawing...adding this and thatHere is a freehand sketch of Echo I did a few weeks back when she was really concentrating while inking some backgrounds for me late in the night.

Between us we must have about 6-7 sketchbooks floating around the house, car and her purse. We are always doodling when we go out if we can. We love to people watch, and people doodle.

I think freehand sketches, done direct are the most powerful drawings artist do because they are unedited.

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Yesterday was the graduation for the DCAD class of 2006. It was also the firt time I attended the graduation for the school in my 3 years teaching there. I got all "Professorial" in my cap and gown. I really had a great time teaching this year and a really great class of students who I will miss a lot. Fly little birds, fly......

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Yesterday was the big blow-out at Captain Blue Hens for Free Comic Book Day and I was told a new record was for the one-day attendence which was mostly made up of families. I did a ton of free sketches for kids and adults...

I rode down down to Newark with the Poobah of Cartoonists and good buddy Jamar Nicholas, who I picked up on the way at 30th St Station in Philly...We were greeted by a host of Cylons, Storm Troops, Spidey, Batman and more...

DCAD was in the house, several of my current and former students stopped by...

Jamar does a Joker sketch for a lucky fan...I pluck away at a Hellboy sketch, though Spider-man and Batman were the most requested...

Across the way John Gallagher and Rich Faber had a table to promote their FCBD comic Buzzboy and Roboy Red...and to do sketches of sock monkeys. **Note** Never kiss a man's sock monkey in public!One of my illustration students, Kristen with a caricature from Echo...Bonaia and Jamar have a secret going on...

After we all headed out to a nice italian dinner at a local eatery and the whole gang was in a good mood...

Jamar kept everyone in stitches...except for Rich...

Neil Vokes and his family were also along as well as Scott Neely who had a huge line for Scoobt Doo sketches all day.Once again kudos to Joe Murry and the entire Blue Hen staff for hosting another great FCBD event as well as being an all around swell guy. I had a great time and look forward to attending the event next year. It was interesting to draw for the younger set, the under 12 crowd as they knew the heroes but only from TV or the movies, for most, this was their first exoperience in a comic store and many,their first ever actual comic book. Never-the-less, the appeal of these classic characters continue to endure across the generations and across media. It does give one some small hope a few kids were hooked yesterday on the "hobby". I guess only time will tell.

Saturday, May 06, 2006

That's right, to celebrate Free Comic Book Day get a free copy of any of Twomorrow Publishings mags, DRAW!, Write Now, Aletr-Ego, Back Issue, the Kirby Collector...hit twomorrows.com to order your free copy!

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About Me

I've been a professional artist since I was 15, and I've worked in comics and animation for almost 30 years, I created and Edit, Draw! MAGAZINE. I also teach animation, cartooning, illustration and drawing classes at Uarts and The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
I graduated the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts with a Certificate in Painting. I am currently at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in the 1st year of the MFA program.